Gupshup Rules

Evolution of Begum Bazaar by Anas Khwaja

October 14, 2009

Master Album:
The DNF website team has compiled 135 photographs of the Begumbazar Family Graveyard located at K.M.Azam Lane. All labeled graves have been photographed by K.M.Yusuf. Graves without tombstone or epigraph are not a part of this series. Click the link below to view the largest collection of pictures from the family graveyard.

Background History:
The first municipal graveyard in Dhaka city was opened in Purana Nakhas in 1882. (2)
Prior to it backyards, roadsides or low land ditches were used as burial ground. A list of twelve graveyards in the vicinity of Dhaka Municipality was first compiled in 1868. Begum Bazaar graveyard was also included in this list. (3)

Begum Bazaar-family home to family graveyard: Begum Bazar was the residential home of Moulvi Khwaja Abdullah (1). After his death in 1796 he was buried beside Hazrat Shar Nuri in Maghbazaar.
His son Khwaja Hafezullah (1735-1815) son of Moulve Khwaja Abdullah was the first to relocate from his ancestral home in Begum Bazaar to Bara Katra/ Sawari Ghat. (4) It is said that he could not bear the pain of his sisters premature death in Begum Bazaar. He insisted his nephew Khwaja Alimullah to join him but the latter declined. In 1830 Khwaja Alimullah (son of Khwaja Ahsanullah and grand son of Khwaja Abdullah) purchased Ahsan Manzil and moved to Kumartuli from Begum Bazaar.

Traditionally family members were being buried in backyard of ancestral home in Begum Bazaar. With the departure of family members, this family home gradually transformed into the family graveyard. May Allah grant Jannatul Ferdous to our beloved resting in Begum Bazaar since 200 plus years.

6 Responses to “Evolution of Begum Bazaar by Anas Khwaja”

It is always refreshing( not to say enlightening) to get informative write ups here about the family that I can share with (mostly) my Saudi and other Arab friends and students( at the university) rather than all the badly written and abusive material that is sometimes found on this site. Keep it up,Anas.

One of the finest post ever. I was utterly surprised to know how Begum Bazar family grave yard came into existance…
Now I know once I die, I will actually coming back to our ancesteral’s original home in dhaka!
Arshad

An interesting point Arsha bhaia bought up. How ironic is it that our ancestors left the land they were living in and now are buried in the same land for eternal sleep.

One of my last wishes and special request to Allah is to grant me a tiny space in the Begum Bazaar graveyard by my family.

When I visited the graveyard on my recent trip to Dhaka, I had a very disturbing experience. Unfortunately there is a small music equipment rental store right out side the graveyard blasting music to his stereos fullest potential. The entire 30 – 45 minutes I spent there all I heard was LOUD Hindi music. Begum bazaar is so beautiful, and tranquil but everything is ruined as soon as that atrocious music is turned on. As mentioned before I was there for only 45 minutes and the music was driving me crazy I cannot fathom what our deceased family members must be going through. Has anyone else noticed this?